Turning HTML pages into print-ready PDFs without wrestling a browser engine
You have a report, an invoice or a web page that looks right in the browser. Then you try to turn it into a PDF from your .NET code, and the fonts shift, the page breaks land in the wrong place and the server needs extra components. IronPDF is a C# PDF library built for that job. It generates, edits and signs PDFs from inside your own application, and it renders HTML, CSS and JavaScript the way a browser would.
Quick facts
- Languages: C#, F# and VB.NET
- Runtimes: .NET 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, Core, Standard (2.0+) and .NET Framework (4.6.2+)
- Platforms: Windows (x64, x86), Mac (x64, ARM), Linux (x64), plus Docker, Azure and AWS
- License: perpetual, one-time purchase, with a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Trial: 30 days, fully functional, no watermarks, no credit card
- Install: NuGet package, DLL download or Windows installer
- Also available for: Java, Node.js and Python
Key features
Render HTML, CSS and JavaScript as a PDF that matches the browser
You can feed in a URL, an HTML file or an HTML string. The renderer uses Chromium-grade rendering, so layouts, fonts and SVGs carry over. A few lines of code with ChromePdfRenderer are enough to save a page as a PDF. You can also set margins, paper sizes, headers, footers and page numbers.
Convert more than web pages
Conversion covers DOCX, RTF, Markdown and images. It also covers Razor, CSHTML, XAML and ASPX to PDF, so existing Web Forms pages can be printed to PDF without a redesign.
Edit and reorganize existing PDFs
You can extract text and images, find and replace text, redact sensitive content, and add stamps, watermarks and annotations. You can merge and split documents, copy or delete pages, and add bookmarks and attachments.
Sign, encrypt and meet archive standards
Digital signatures work with .pfx and .p12 certificates, and there is HSM signing and trusted timestamping. You can set passwords and permissions with 256-bit AES encryption and sanitize PDFs. Output can target PDF/A and PDF/UA for archiving and accessibility.
Create and fill PDF forms
You can create forms, fill and read existing AcroForm fields, and flatten them when you want the values locked in.
Run it in your own infrastructure
The library runs inside your application, so documents are not sent to an outside server. It is described as suitable for multi-threaded server use, and it supports async calls. Deployment targets include Azure Functions, AWS Lambda and Docker containers.
Who it's for
It suits .NET developers who need to generate PDFs from HTML templates, such as invoices, statements, reports and tickets. It also suits teams that must sign, secure or archive those documents. If you already have a Web Forms or Razor application, you can reuse your existing pages as the PDF source.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Covers generating, editing, organizing, signing and securing PDFs in one package.
- Install is a single NuGet command, and a working example is only a few lines.
- A full-featured 30-day trial with no watermarks lets you test in a real project.
- Perpetual licensing with no recurring fee for the license itself.
- Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, and in containers and cloud services.
Cons
- It is a commercial library. The Lite license for one developer and one project starts at $999, and larger teams pay more.
- Licensing is counted by developers, locations and projects, so you need to read the terms before buying.
- Redistributing it inside software you ship or a SaaS product needs an extra add-on at additional cost.
- Support and updates are included for one year. After that you buy an extension to keep receiving them.
- It targets .NET Framework 4.6.2 and later, so older framework projects are not covered.
FAQs
Can I try it before paying?
Yes. A 30-day trial key unlocks the full product with no watermarks and no credit card. You also get support while on the trial.
Does it need extra executables on the server?
No. It installs as a NuGet package or DLL and runs inside your application.
Can it print an ASPX page to PDF?
Yes. ASPX to PDF is a listed conversion, alongside Razor, CSHTML and XAML.
Is the license a subscription?
Team licenses are perpetual, so it is a one-time purchase. Support and product updates come free for the first year, and you can extend them later.
Can I use it on Linux or Mac?
Yes. The platforms listed are Windows, Linux and macOS, plus Docker, Azure and AWS.
System requirements
- Runtime: .NET 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, Core 3.1+, .NET Standard 2.0+ or .NET Framework 4.6.2+
- Windows: Windows 10 and later, Server 2012 and later (x64 and x86)
- Mac: macOS 10 and later (x64 and ARM)
- Linux: Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS and others (x64)
- IDEs: Microsoft Visual Studio, and JetBrains Rider with ReSharper